Spark of Life
by Ryuko DragonHalf
Summary: You saw EVE as soon as the rocket left her behind - why does she enjoy flying more than a robot should? She had some trouble figuring that out too, long ago..


Hello everyone! Ready for the Oscars? :D

Anyway, this fic was originally written and posted for the WALL·E Ficontest community over at Livejournal - loads of fun! And yes, I posted it under my other username, Faye Lunacorn. The challenge was to write about a character's life before the movie. Now I've toyed with all sorts of ideyas concerning EVE's background, so it was the perfect opportunity to try it out and see what other fans thought!

It's been a few months since then, and I would really like some more opinions. So without further chatter from me, here is my fan-story of Eve's life before the movie began! I hope you enjoy it!

(DISCLAIMER: I own nothing except for the plot, and characters not mentioned or seen in Pixar's brilliant film!)

* * *

EVE knew she was different. It was a strange concept, that a robot sense any deviation from carbon copies of itself, but by some twist of fate, she knew. She recalled her startling discovery with the clarity and precision of a supercomputer. After her initial boot, a quick series of diagnostics scanned her programming and construction.

There was no confusion, no questioning, no need to learn or discover. She understood her purpose from the very start. She saw no reason to do little else than the tasks required of her. She was a machine, and no more.

Satisfied, the technicians ran her through simple operational exams. EVE scanned, detected, reacted, steered, translated, recited, adapted, relayed, computed, and overcame simulated field situations without fail. All appeared normal, to the point of perfection.

And then - they let her outside.

The probe robot caught her first glimpse of the sun. The light bombarded her optics so suddenly, she turned away and shielded her eyes with one fin - a very human gesture, but merely a touch of human programming to meet her functional needs.

Her sensors picked up the smallest detail of the world she would one day explore. The quality of the soil was failing. The wind blew toxins between stacks of metal and concrete. Very little biological life, aside from the scientists who supervised her actions, was present within a fifty-mile radius.

Then, something happened. A random occurrence which was unforeseen, never taken into calculation before.

For one reason or another, a spark ran excitedly through EVE's neural core when she detected one factor.

Open sky.

Without warning, she was off like a shot!

She heard the humans cry out in surprise, but paid little attention to them. Earth began falling away. The whole world seemed to grow smaller beneath her! And all around, EVE could see the distant horizon, stretching to places she'd never seen before. The spark danced up and down at the very thought of flying. She didn't dare question it - it was illogical, certainly, but it was... how could she describe it? Wonderful! _Yes!_ This sensation of flying, free to soar wherever she pleased! EVE gave a delighted chirp and spread her wings! She spun once, prepared to launch herself to parts unknown--

Suddenly, the world vanished.

And the spark went with it.

OoOoOoOoO

She rebooted. EVE's systems took a minute to realign themselves. She blinked, trying to make sense of the noise around her.. no, the voices. They echoed around the sterile, clinical walls of the lab.

".. everything's running perfectly, sir. There's no sign of a glitch or virus."

"Well, run another diagnostic! We have to find the source!"

"We've run at least eight scans! I'm telling you sir, there's absolutely nothing! The unit's hard drive is clean. Software updated. No stray wires or connections. Not a foreign program in sight. Everything says Probe One fine!"

"Sir, we don't have time to search for bugs..."

Bugs? EVE gave her head a shake, hoping to draw the right conclusions. Did something infect her? She performed a quick self-scan. Nothing. What did they mean?

The head technician raised his arms in a frustrated manner. EVE's pre-programmed interpretation of body language informed her that something was very wrong. "Look, I don't care what the readouts say! Am I the only one who saw that thing take off, completely out of control?"

She reacted with visible surprise. Her actions outside upset them? Reviewing the scenario herself, she was forced to admit, it was rather peculiar. She was supposed to scan for signs of photosynthesis, not fly around the world. But that spark... where did it come from? Didn't _they_ design it? If not, then how did it get there, and how did it override her main function? Perhaps it_ was _a cause for alarm. EVE could still sense it stirring within her, begging for freedom. She was finding it hard to resist.

At that moment she realized that she couldn't move. A quick glance down revealed the shimmering blue band restraining her arms and engine. The now-unusual spark urged her to fight it, to try freeing herself; she complied almost immediately. She wriggled and tilted, chirping in quiet protest while the technicians continued arguing.

"EVE is programmed to adapt, maybe she was simply testing her flight capabilities to their maximum capacity."

"That's not its' primary directive! It can NOT be distracted! There's no time left! So get this defect fixed or trash it!"

A loud wail sputtered from EVE's unseen speaker. Defect! Trash! She couldn't be! The spark was a part of her! Didn't they put it there? Didn't they want it? The very suggestion of tossing her aside, like the rest of the garbage on this planet, useless _waste_, sent her hardware spinning. It didn't make any sense at all! The spark was flaring wildly, prompting her to shake her head and struggle against her bonds. The computerized squeaks and chitters she emitted caught the attention of every human in the room. They stared, bewildered, at the robot's display.

Her eyes blinked rapidly, the tops curved slightly inward, as she looked from one person to the next. She appeared to be panicking, almost pleading with her creators. Not as a pre-programmed function to get her point across, but as a genuine reaction to their words. Even the head technician was at a loss. "What the..."

"Dirrrrr.. dirrrreck-tive! Dirrective!"

EVE focused on the leader as she said this. It was the first word she'd articulated in the human tongue, and odds were, it was the most important. They wanted her to function without the strange spark. They wanted her to focus on her purpose. Her directive.

If she did, they would let her go!

All eyes now fell on the head technician. His eyes darted uncomfortably around the room before meeting EVE's gentle blue gaze.

The others watched in awe as EVE blinked and glanced uncertainly at the floor. They didn't know what to make of it. How was this possible? Most high-end robots, especially for the Axiom project, had been designed to express basic human emotions for the sake of familiarity. The PR-Ts, for instance, made random small talk and pleasantries as they worked. It made a more comfortable experience for the clientèle.

At least _that_ was serving a purpose. But what EVE Probe One was doing now was beyond understanding. The EVEs carried just enough emotive programming to communicate with living officers. However, showing fear and hesitation? That was never part of her design at all! And it was somehow escaping the notice of their scans!

"Directive," she intoned once more.

The head technician sighed. He pinched the bridge of his nose for a moment. "All right. You want your directive? Then listen. And try to... save it this time, okay?" he gruffed, marching right up to EVE. She stared at him, attempting to read his expressionless face.

"Your directive is strictly classified. We don't want _any_ interference whatsoever. Scan the planet for positive evidence of photosynthesis. Once found, retrieve said evidence. You will automatically de-activate once the evidence is safely stored within your bio-stasis chamber. Once you have been returned to the Axiom, report to the ship's superior officer at once with the evidence." He sighed again. "Acknowledge the details of your directive."

She had already known her mission before, but if it would please him... EVE's eyes frowned seriously. "Directive confirmed."

The man nodded sharply. "It better be." He turned to his staff. "Take it to the repair ward, just to be sure. We'll run more tests in the morning."

The robot's frown deepened and she gave a static huffy noise. "Directive confirmed!" she protested.

"Bring out Probes Two through Five, see if the same problem arises and inform me at once!"

"Directive _confirmed_!"

The man just ignored her; she glared at him, the spark crackling somewhere in the back of her head. As the man swept from the room, her eyes never left the last spot she'd seen him.

A few minutes passed as the wary staff tried to make sense of what was going on. EVE didn't budge, nor did her eyes change. Then, for the second time that day, she was deactivated.

* * *

And there we have it! :3 Thank you for taking the time to read it! If you really enjoyed the story, please let me know in a review - I may have a few more ideyas to continue this, otherwise, it shall remain a one-shot.

Thanks again everyone!


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